Time Line-2015

India 05-Feb-2015

Pakistan's ISI trained Khalistan militants from the UK in Thailand last year (2014) to launch strikes in India, according to senior officials of Punjab Police who along with sleuths of central security agencies interrogated two such militants arrested recently in Thailand. The security agencies in Thailand arrested KLF 'chief' Harminder Singh alias Mintoo, in November 2014, and KTF 'chief' Jagtar Singh Tara, one of the alleged assassins of former Punjab Chief Minister Beant Singh, on January 5, 2015. A Lahore posted Lieutenant colonel-rank Army officer of the ISI, identified as "Chaudhary" by Indian spy agencies, was the handler of Mintoo and Tara. He shifted Mintoo and Tara separately from Pakistan to Thailand last year (2014) to "develop sleeper cells in India". Top ranking Punjab Police sources said that this ISI officer later held a camp from July 5 to 13, 2014 at Mea Sot (a town in Thailand bordering Myanmar) in which "five UK-based Khalistan militants" were trained in assembling and handling of explosives made from locally available material. IG counter-intelligence Punjab Police Gaurav Yadav said, "Necessary follow-up actions (regarding ISI training UK-based Khalistan militants in Thailand) are being taken." Based on the interrogation reports of the two arrested men that the State Police and central agencies are collating, it has emerged that Gursharanvir Singh (living in Coventry of England) and Birmingham resident Piyara Singh Gill, also wanted by Punjab Police in August 2009 killing on Rulda Singh, President of RSS wing Rashtriya Sikh Sangat, were among the five UK-based Khalistan militants who attended the training camp in Thailand. Reports said that the central agencies have already approached UK authorities for their extradition.

India 22-Feb-2015

The UMHA has decided to take a fresh look into the case against Balwant Singh Rajaona, a BKI militant who was sentenced to death after his conviction in the case pertaining to the assassination of former Punjab CM Beant Singh. The development follows the arrest of another BKI operative Jagtar Singh Tara, who was recently extradited from Thailand. Rajaona himself has refused to petition either the State Government or the Supreme Court for a stay on his death sentence. He is currently lodged in a Punjab jail. Sources said UHM Rajnath Singh has asked ministry officials to examine Rajaona's case afresh in the light of new facts that could emerge after Tara's interrogation. "Since Rajaona has refused to petition any authority for clemency, Home Ministry has decided to look into his case afresh. Since Tara has been extradited from Thailand and is presently in the custody of Punjab Police, new facts could emerge in the case. Even if there is a fraction of a chance that Rajaona was involved in the assassination case, the entire case has to be relooked into," said a senior Home Ministry official. Tara, a co-accused in the case, was facing trial for allegedly assassinating Beant Singh when he escaped along with three others through a tunnel dug inside the jail, where they were lodged in 2004. Two of the three others have been arrested, while the third is still at large.

India 23-Feb-2015

Bathinda Court (Punjab) extended KTF chief Jagtar Singh Tara's Police remand by another two days. Previously, Tara was produced in court on February 9 and was sent to four-day police remand. Police also produced one Amarjit Singh of Dusarna village in Mohali District and accused him of having links with Tara. Arrested on February 12, Amarjit was also sent in two-day police remand. Tara is accused of making way for Bathinda-based Ramandeep Singh alias Sunny in getting arms training in Bangkok. Bathinda Police on November 9, 2014, had arrested Ramandeep and claimed that he was a member of the terror organization KTF headed by Jagtar Singh Tara. Police had recovered explosive material, a revolver and 5 letterheads of BKI. Bathinda District attorney Iqbaljit Singh Kingra said, "During interrogation, Ramandeep confessed that he had gone to Thailand to get arms training on Tara's insistence and had met him in Thailand." Kingra said that Ramandeep also told that Tara had got militant training at Pakistan and encouraged him to toe the same path.

India 25-Feb-2015

Failing to get UT administrator's nod for suspension of notification prohibiting BKI militant Jagtar Singh Tara's movement from Burail jail in Chandigarh, the jail authorities failed to produce him before court on the second consecutive day and have now sought time till February 27. UT Police failed in producing Tara before the court of Additional District and sessions judge Shalini S Nagpal,as the state failed to obtain suspension of the notification under section 268 of the Code of CrPC prohibiting transportation of Tara from Burail jail. Jail authorities stated before the court that Tara's movement from Burail jail was prohibited as Section 268 of the CrPC (person shall not be removed from prison till the completion of the trial) imposed on the assassination accused, was still valid.The jail authorities sought time till February 27.